The new season programme moves on as members logged onto Zoom last
Friday for the NIPA (Northern Ireland Photographic Association) round two
competition entries. The entries were in the three usual categories, colour print, monochrome print and projected digital image (PDI). This round had the theme of ‘Abstract’ photography.
The judge was Robert Sergeant from CPA camera club in Belfast. Robert began by giving his views on what ‘Abstract’ photography was, including a definition of the genre gleaned from Wikipedia.
There was a wide range of subject matter within the entries, including images of seascapes, reflections, patterns in architecture, smoke patterns and close up photographs of shells and flowers. Another popular type of entry involved a photographic technique called Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), this is where the photographer uses a long shutter speed, and moves the camera during exposure, to produce an impressionistic or abstract view of the subject matter.
Robert went through the images in the three sections and commented on many of them, he pointed out that the use of strong colours and textures often helped make a stronger abstract image. He also commented positively on many of the more graphic images and felt these met the brief very well. In some images he felt that the abstraction had gone too far, and the image was left with no strong centre of interest. Robert also felt that the images which showed the whole of a plant or flower were not abstract enough, and the close-up images of these subjects worked better for this competition. At the end of each section Robert discussed his favourite images including an unusual view of a bridge, and some close-up views of seaweed, and a very abstract view of some rusted metal. Robert then announced the winners of each section which were as follows:
Colour Print
First: Judith Kimber
Second: Nigel Snell
Third: May Carvill
Mono Print
First: Ray Magill
Second: Alastair Bell
Third: Ray Magill
Projected Digital Image (PDI)
First: May Carvill
Second: Mandy Milliken
Third: May Carvill
Novice Projected Digital Image (PDI)
First & Second: Leanne Simpson
Our thanks to Robert for his detailed, constructive and informative comments, and congratulations to all the winning photographers.
Next week we have as a speaker the renowned US Photographic Artist Fran Forman, in an event which is being jointly run by Bangor and North Down Camera Club and the Royal Photographic Society (RPS). Fran is a very well-known photographer and artist, who has published several books, and has been exhibited throughout the USA and Europe. Fran’s talk is entitled ‘The Trials and Tribulations of Creating my Photobook’, an evening not to be missed.
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